Funding from the Blaine County Education Foundation will ensure more students gain access to free breakfast and lunch meals daily.
On November 15, the Blaine County School District Board of Trustees voted to accept the foundation’s donation, which will help ensure all students who qualify for free or reduce priced meals will not need to pay for breakfast or lunch for the rest of the school year. Additionally, the funds will allow the district to extend free meals to more students by expanding the federal income eligibility guidelines.
Given the high cost of living in Blaine County, district leaders and board members believe these adjusted guidelines better reflect the needs of students and families in the community.
“A single mom with tears in my office shared that she makes too much money working at a gas station to qualify for even reduced-priced lunches,” said Kenna Stoops, Child Nutrition Administrator for BCSD’s Finance Department in remarks to the board. “Another stressed mom called, crying because she did not qualify for reduced meals, even though her rent was just $300 less than her monthly income.”
In recent years, families who have seen even slight pay raises have suddenly found themselves no longer qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. At the same time, the cost of living in Blaine County has skyrocketed, creating financial hardships for working-class families.
Trustee Lara Stone noted the potential impact on student achievement, as students perform better in school when they are not hungry.
BCSD has now expanded the eligibility for free meals to 150 percent of the federal income eligibility guidelines. The district will immediately accept qualified families to the program that had been previously denied. Students currently enrolled in the federal reduced-priced lunch program are also receiving notices that their portion of the lunch costs are now free thanks to the support of the Blaine County Education Foundation.
For additional information, contact Kenna Stoops at 208-578-5018 or kstoops@blainecountyschools.org. Donations can be made at https://www.supportbcef.org/.
On November 15, the Blaine County School District Board of Trustees voted to accept the foundation’s donation, which will help ensure all students who qualify for free or reduce priced meals will not need to pay for breakfast or lunch for the rest of the school year. Additionally, the funds will allow the district to extend free meals to more students by expanding the federal income eligibility guidelines.
Given the high cost of living in Blaine County, district leaders and board members believe these adjusted guidelines better reflect the needs of students and families in the community.
“A single mom with tears in my office shared that she makes too much money working at a gas station to qualify for even reduced-priced lunches,” said Kenna Stoops, Child Nutrition Administrator for BCSD’s Finance Department in remarks to the board. “Another stressed mom called, crying because she did not qualify for reduced meals, even though her rent was just $300 less than her monthly income.”
In recent years, families who have seen even slight pay raises have suddenly found themselves no longer qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. At the same time, the cost of living in Blaine County has skyrocketed, creating financial hardships for working-class families.
Trustee Lara Stone noted the potential impact on student achievement, as students perform better in school when they are not hungry.
BCSD has now expanded the eligibility for free meals to 150 percent of the federal income eligibility guidelines. The district will immediately accept qualified families to the program that had been previously denied. Students currently enrolled in the federal reduced-priced lunch program are also receiving notices that their portion of the lunch costs are now free thanks to the support of the Blaine County Education Foundation.
For additional information, contact Kenna Stoops at 208-578-5018 or kstoops@blainecountyschools.org. Donations can be made at https://www.supportbcef.org/.
MÁS ESTUDIANTES DEL BCSD RECIBIRÁN DESAYUNOS Y ALMUERZOS GRATIS GRACIAS AL APOYO DE LA COMUNIDAD
El financiamiento de la Fundación de Educación del Condado de Blaine asegurará que más estudiantes tengan acceso a desayunos y almuerzos gratis todos los días.
El 15 de noviembre, la Junta Directiva del Distrito Escolar del Condado de Blaine votó a favor de aceptar la donación de la fundación, que ayudará a garantizar que todos los estudiantes que califiquen para comidas gratuitas o a precios reducidos no tengan que pagar el desayuno o el almuerzo durante el resto del año escolar.
Además, los fondos permitirán que el distrito extienda comidas gratis a más estudiantes gracias a la ampliación de las pautas federales de elegibilidad de ingresos. Dado el alto costo de vida en el Condado de Blaine, los líderes del distrito y los miembros de la junta creen que estas pautas ajustadas reflejan mejor las necesidades de los estudiantes y las familias de la comunidad.
"Una madre soltera con lágrimas en los ojos me dijo en mi oficina que gana demasiado dinero trabajando en una gasolinera para calificar para almuerzos incluso a precio reducido", comentó en la junta Kenna Stoops, Administradora de Nutrición Infantil del Departamento de Finanzas del BCSD. "Otra madre estresada llamó llorando porque no calificaba para los almuerzos a precio reducido, a pesar de que su renta era solo $300 menos que su ingreso mensual".
En los últimos años, las familias que han tenido incluso leves aumentos salariales se han encontrado repentinamente con que ya no califican para los almuerzos gratuitos o a precio reducido. Al mismo tiempo, el costo de vida en el condado de Blaine se ha disparado, lo cual generó dificultades financieras para las familias de la clase trabajadora.
La administradora Lara Stone señaló el posible impacto en el rendimiento estudiantil, dado que los estudiantes se desempeñan mejor en la escuela cuando no tienen hambre.
El BCSD ahora ha ampliado la elegibilidad para acceder a comidas gratis hasta el 150 por ciento de las pautas federales de elegibilidad de ingresos. El distrito aceptará de inmediato a las familias que califiquen en el programa que antes se les había denegado. Los estudiantes actualmente inscritos en el programa federal de almuerzo a precio reducido también están recibiendo avisos de que su parte de los costos del almuerzo ahora es gratis, gracias al apoyo de la Fundación de Educación del Condado de Blaine.
Para obtener más información, comuníquese con Kenna Stoops al 208-578-5018 o kstoops@blainecountyschools.org. Para hacer donaciones, visite https://www.supportbcef.org/.
